Reading Tools

Wheel to keep on turnin’

Following an exciting decision by the council yesterday, the Wheel of Manchester is set to stay put all over the summer, eventually being replaced by an even bigger version in 2008…

Published on January 10th 2007.

‘The wheel can stay. No, it’s got to go. No it can stay. No, we need to move it to Piccadilly…’ is what the voices discernible by holding a glass against the wall of the Town Hall and listening very hard have been saying recently.

Yesterday however, a decision flew in from the left field which went something like this:

‘The wheel will stay. No, it will go. No actually, we’ll take it away and replace it with a gigantic 260ft monster wheel instead. Excellent compromise, let’s get pissed.’

So that’s what’s happening folks. First off, the current wheel will be dismantled on January 22nd and taken down to allow for a refurbishment of Exchange Square. Then come spring, it will be put back up again and there it will stay until early 2008. Hurrah!

But then comes the really exciting news… in early 2008 we’ll say goodbye to the Wheel of Manchester as we know it, and a gigantic replacement will be rolled into the city.

The new wheel will be 65ft taller than the current one – two thirds the size of the London Eye. And while the current wheel turns three times in twelve minutes, the new one will take fifteen minutes to complete a single turn, allowing riders longer to ‘oooh’ and ‘aaah’ at the improved views.

The only sting in the tail is that it will cost the council £8.5 million of taxpayers’ money. Ouch.

Nobody knows yet where the new wheel will be located, or how long it will remain in Manchester. But as soon as these mysteries are cleared up, we’ll let you know.

What do you think of the plans for the new wheel? Leave you comments below…